Automobile lock



' March 31. 1925. 1,531,326

' J. M. WHITE AUTOMOBILE LOQK Filed May 22. 1923 3 sheets-Sheba 1 22 J0 2.9 '1 G a; A fi .3 37 I J 29 24 ff .30 33 25 2a 7 amen tot .Jssee M. Wile March 31, 1925.

J. M. WHITE AUTOMOBILE LOCK Filed M y 22. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I gnuenfoz js'see M. WM

' March 31. 1925. 1,531,326

J. M. WHITE AUTOMOBILE LOCK Filed y 22. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ggmnmmm/ m emu,

nition circuit, in the'wire which leads from.

Patented Mar. 1925. V

ES PATE-NT OFFICE.

UNITED FSTAT JnssEn MERCER WHITE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

Application filed May 22, 1923.' Serial No. 640,688.

T all (whom/it may concern:

Be it known that LJnssEn M. lVnirn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at a Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Automobile Locks, of which the; following is aspecification 1 i My invention relates toautomobile locks,

more especially to looks which may bethe starter circuit and commonly known as i v the feed wire. These circuit breaking locks were always applied at a distance from the starter circuit and thus left a part of the feed wire subjected to circuit shorting which burnt thewire and set fire to the automobile. The feed wire is always of small size, being required tocarry small amperage (5 to amperes) while the starter circuit wire, to 1-which the feedwire'is: connected is always of large size, being requlredto carry large amperage (80 to 400 amperes) for the starter. w- It :is apparent that in -case a cir cuit is shorted the, large wire will readily thisamperage is, resistedbya small wire, heat willbe generated which will-cause the feed wire to burn-with danger of setting firefto theautomobile. starting circuit wireislong (6 to 12 feet),

Furthermore the thus subjecting alarge area to possibility of a short circuit.

- The objects of my invention are to provide means which will'prevent the burning of the feed wire, in case it is shorted, render the long starting circuit wire immune to circuit shorting, lockthe ignition, lighting and starting systems, and means whichwill require the driverto. lockthe automobile in order to stop the engine. I

,These: objects, and other advantageous ends'which'will be described hereinafter, I attain in the f following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a 1 H V s Figure 1 is a centralsection through an automobile lock constructed in accordance in full illustrating the locking bolt in another position,

F1gure'3'a section on line 33 of Figure 1 illustrating the electrical connections to the lock diagrammatically,

Figure 4 a View similar to Figure 3 taken 1 on line it-4- ot Figure 2,

Figure 5 a section on line 55 of Figure 2, and c Figure 6. a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the transmission casing of an automobile, 2 the '-rotating member keyed to the driving shaft The universal joint which leads to the differential, not shown, is connected to the rotating member 2 through holes 4. The 'rotatlng member has locking teeth 5 adapted to engage grooves 6 in a locking bolt 7 turnably mounted in an extension 8 of the casing; The bolt, is held against vertical movement by a shank 9 which has a threaded end 10 fon receiving anut 11. The locking bolt locked position. The halls rest in holes 16 in thebolt and engage depressions 17 in the carry amperage to its full capacityand, if i g I 'balls out of recesses 14 to lock the bolt to casing when'the drum is turned to force the the casing. Theholt isturned by any suitable kn0b,'such as shown at 18. andextends above the floor line 19 of an automobile.

A position finder which includes a ball 20 pressed by a spring 21 held in position a 'screw j22 and which engages depressions 23 in the bolt finds the locked and unlocked position of the bolt while turning the 7 same. 7 A recess 24 is formed in the periphery of the locking bolt and provides a space in 'which the contacting plungers of a circuit making and breaking device are disposed when the bolt locks the rotating member against rotation as shown in Figure 2. The circuit making and breaking device comprises a housing 25 insulated 'from the casing by a gasket 26 and secured to the casing by screws 27. The housing is provided with holes 28 forreceiving spring-pressed plungers 29 which have a hollow part 30 for receiving springs 31. Each plunger is provided with a reduced solid part 32 which passes through a hole 33 in the gasket, the

hole being ofa smaller dimension than the housing hole 28 so as to provide a shoulder 34 adapted to be engaged by the hollow part of the plunger to limit its movement into the casing. 'The casing is provided with holes 35 through which the solid parts of the plungers pass without contacting with the casing. A terminal post 36 of any suitable character is provided on the housing to which is connected one end of a ground wire 37. The other end is connected to one pole of a battery 38. The starting system is connected, by a starter circuit wire 39, to the other pole of the battery and is grounded at -i0. The ignition system is connected to the starter wire by a feed wire 41 and is grounded at 42. The lighting system is connected to the feed wire by alead wire 43 andis grounded at 44. The looking bolt and casing are grounded as shown at e5.

lVith my lock applied when the engine is running the spring-pressed plungers are normally in engagement with the periphery of the locking bolt, thus completing a circuit through the ground wire as shown in Figures 1 and 3. To stop the engine the drivermust disconnect the ignition system and in doing so will turn the locking bolt from the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 to the positions shown in Figures 2 and 4.

.This movement will bring the grooves 6 in engagement with the teeth of the rotating member 5 and the recess 24 opposite the spring-pressed plungers. The recess 24; being deeper than the lengthwise movement of the plungers, the plungers will be disengaged from the locking bolt, and the circuit through the ground wire broken and the engine stopped. The grooves 6 being I in engagement with the teeth 5 of the rotating member, will lock the automobile against movement. The bolt is thenlocked to the casing by the lock 12 and the key removed. This locks the automobile against movement and disconnects the electrical systems from the battery so that a short circuit with any of their wires is impossible because the ground connection is broken.

By constructing a lock and connecting it with an electrical system of an automobile as above described, a lock is provided which must be locked in order to stop the engine and when locked the electrical systems are rendered immune to circuit shorting.

lVhile I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention 'may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come withinthescope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I breaking means and the locking mechanism whereby cutting off the motive power automatically loclrs the car against movement.

2. In connection with the electric wiring system of an automobile, means for locking the car against movement, and springpressed plungers, electrically connected to the groundwire, normally in contact with the locking'means and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when the locking means are moved into locking position.

In connection with the electric wiring system of an automobile, means for locking the car against movement; a housing can ried by and insulated from the locking means, and spring-pressed plungers within the housing, electrically connected to the ground wire, normally in contact with the locking means and adapted to be disengaged. therefrom when the locking means are moved into locking position.

4. In connection with the electric Wiring system of an automobile, a casing carried by the automobile; a turnable bolt within the casing adapted to lock the automobile against movement; a housing carried by the casing and insulated therefrom, and spring pressed plungers within the housing, electrically connected tothe ground wire, normallyin-contact with the locking bolt but adapted to be disengaged therefrom when the locking bolt is moved into looking position.

5. In connection with the electric wiring system of an automobile, a casing carried by the automobile; a turnable bolt, having a recess and mounted within the-casing,

adapted to lock the automobile against movement; a housing carried by the casing and insulated therefrom, spring-pressed plungers within the housin electrically connected to the ground wire, normally in contact with the locking bolt but adapted to take into the recess and to be disengaged from the locking bolt when the bolt is moved into locking position.

6'. An automobile lock including a casing; a rotating member "mounted on the casing; a turnable bolt within the casing'adapted to lock the rotating member; a housing secured-to the casing and having holes therein; a terminal on the housing; an insulating gasket between the casing and housing having holes therein of smaller dimension than the holes in the housing, and springpressed plungers taking through the holes in the housing, each plunger having a reduced part. taking through a hole in the iii gasket and normally in contact with the bolt but'adapted to be: disengaged therefrom when the bolt is moved into locking posi-, tion. j

7. An automobile look including a casing;

a rotating member mounted onv the casing;

than the holes in the housing, and spring pressed plungers taking through holes in the housing, each plunger having a reduced.

part taking through a'hole in the gasket andnormallyin contact with the bolt but adapted to take into the recess and to be disengaged from the bolt when the bolt is moved into locking position. r

i 8. An automobile lock including a casing; a rotating member mounted on the casing; a turnable bolt having a recess and adapted to lock therotating member; a housing secured to the casing and having holes therein; a terminal on thehousing; an insulating gasket between the casing and housing having holes therein of smaller dimension than the holes in the housing; springs within the housing, and plungers taking through the holes in thehousing and having a hollowpart for receiving the springs, each plunger having a solid reduced part taking through a hole in the gasket and normally in contact with the bolt but adaptedto be within the recess and to be disengaged from the bolt when the bolt is moved into locking posi tion. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J ESSEE MERGER WHITE.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH GARBE, CHAS. E. Po'r'rs. 

